Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Finding our authentic professional path can take many turns, and the task of embracing our authentic selves is ever unfolding. In this WomanUP Workshop, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration in the stories from three successful, local business women: Leah Wong Ashburn (Highland Brewing Company), Sandar Leung (Manna FoodBank) and Molly Gaffney-Keebler (Spherion Staffing & Recruiting). They’ll share the twists and turns of their on-going journeys to discovering their authentic selves through life, family and career.
About our speakers:
Leah Wong Ashburn is the second-generation family owner of Highland Brewing Company and serves as President and CEO. She has served on several boards including the Asheville Chamber, Buncombe County TDA, Riverlink and A-B Tech and currently serves on the UNC Board of Visitors and the NC Brewers Guild. She is also recipient of the 2019 WomanUP Woman Executive of the Year Award.
Sandar Leung is Director of Operations at MANNA FoodBank. Prior to her role at MANNA, she served as Senior Manager of Fabrication Value Stream at Thermo Fisher Scientific where she was responsible for long-term capacity and technology strategy. She is also a Functional Board Member of the Asian Children’s Mission which advocates for the welfare and education of children in Myanmar.
Molly Gaffney-Keebler is the Spherion Staffing & Recruiting Licensed Franchisee for WNC and Tri-Cities, TN and is president of the Spherion Franchise Advisory Board. In her tenure at Spherion, she has won multiple awards including Rookie of the Year in 2017 and Franchisee of the Year in 2020. Spherion Asheville has been the fastest growing market in Spherion history.
Agenda
8:00 am Doors Open
8:00-8:50 am Meet and Mingle, Enjoy a Light Breakfast
8:50-10:10 am Program
10:10-10:30 am Q&A with Panelists
Breakfast provided by Everyday Gourmet:
Fresh Fruit Platter – GF, Vegan
Open Face Bagels with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon, Cucumber Dill Caper Relish (some will be vegetarian)
Yogurt Berry Granola Parfaits – GF, Vegetarian
Sweet Potato Hash with Peppers & Onions – GF, Vegan
Breakfast Sausage – GF
Coffee, Hot Tea, Lavender Lemonade
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.

We are excited to share that XP League Asheville will have its GRAND OPENING on August 19th where all registrations will receive a Founding Member discount = for life. We plan to have Food Trucks, free chair massages for the parents, and fun activities for kids too young to play on the gaming laptops!
Games we play include Fortnite, Minecraft (bed-wars), Rocket League, Valorant, Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, and League of Legends.
A few years ago the founders of this NC based franchise recognized that online video game environments could be extremely toxic, so they created a league where kids ages 7-17 could join a team and play in person against other youth teams across the country while enjoying a safe environment, PCA certified coach-led sessions, and receive training on how to play with a positive mindset.
Please scroll down to the calendar on this website to book the session that you want to attend:
https://asheville.xpl.gg/home
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.

Mark your calendar for Pardee Hospital Foundation’s first-ever Casino Night,
featuring casino games with live dealers, musical entertainment, delicious food
and locally sourced beer and wine on August 25 at Burntshirt Vineyards. Proceeds from this special event will support UNC Health Pardee’s growing cardiology program.
A limited number of tickets will be available. Don’t miss the fun! Buy your ticket today.
You or your business can also become part of the action by sponsoring one of our game tables or food and beverage tables, or by serving as our prestigious “High Roller” presenting sponsor! Benefits are numerous and include recognition on the Pardee Hospital Foundation website, in media leading up to the event, and in the event program.
“An entrepreneurial mindset can empower ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things,” according to the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative (ELI), a leader in entrepreneurial education serving academic, corporate, and non-profit organizations globally. Even if you are already extraordinary in certain arenas, learning to think like an entrepreneur can create possibilities and opportunities that may exist only in your dreams today. What would it be like to empower the entrepreneurial spirit within you that has a passion for building, connecting, and motivating yourself and others?
If this sounds interesting to you, you may want to consider enrolling in this course and becoming an Ice House Entrepreneur. Our 3-part program teaches how to think like an entrepreneur based on the book “Who Owns the Ice House? Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur.” This book, and the associated Ice House Entrepreneurship Program (IHEP), are inspired by the life story of Pulitzer Nominee Clifton Taulbert and the influence of his Uncle Cleve, who embodied the entrepreneurial mindset even when success seemed out of reach. “An entrepreneurial mindset exposes opportunity, ignites ambition, and fosters innovation. It shifts everyday thinking into a new framework, empowering people to identify problems, deploy solutions, and make connections using creative and critical thinking, communication, and collaboration,” states the ELI.
If you are a new entrepreneur, thinking about starting a business, or just need a jumpstart – this course is especially for you. It is also for anyone who aspires to improve their performance in any profession. Upgrading your mindset to better recognize and act on opportunities is a key to success in work and in life.
The instructor is Gold Certified Ice House Facilitator Beverly Jurenko, MBA, ACE-certified Executive Coach, and founder of Inside Edge Consulting LLC. She will be leading this course in the IHEP over the span of three Saturdays in August 2023 (8/12 9:30 to 3:30; 8/19 9:30 to 3:30; 8/26 9:30 to 1:30).
Because this is a deep dive course, we are limited to 20 students. The course will take place at AB Tech’s Enka campus. The cost to sign up is $89. This fee includes lunch all three days, and the book Who Owns the Ice House? Reserve your spot at https://www.plrconnectevents.com/ice-house-entrepreneurship-program
This project received support from NC IDEA and the AB Tech Small Business Center.
About the facilitator: Beverly Jurenko is a leadership and career coach based in Asheville, NC and the founder of Inside Edge Consulting LLC. She specializes in supporting diverse talent to embrace their power and realize their potential. She is certified as a coach by the Academy for Coaching Excellence, and a member of the International Coaching Federation. She is also an NC Idea Gold Certified Ice House Entrepreneurial Mindset Facilitator, and serves as an Advisory Board Member for UNC-Asheville Business Department and the Western Carolinas Coaches subchapter of the International Coaching Federation, and as an Advisory Committee member for the Asheville YMCA.
“If you are talented, and ambitious, but feel held back in some way, I want to support you. Together, we can identify and remove invisible barriers that get in your way so you can build your own sense of power and entitlement and pursue your goals with clarity and ease.” ~ Beverly Jurenko, Founder, Inside Edge Consulting LLC
Beverly brings her broad international background in the corporate, non-profit, and startup sectors to her work as a coach. She is a former Vice President for private equity investor BancBoston Capital; a co-founder of HBS Houston Alumni Angels; and the founder of two startups: That’s Math, an EdTech bilingual family math engagement company, and Best Cleaning Services, an award-winning commercial cleaning company she sold for 6.7x capital invested. She is also the former Director of Diversity & Inclusion for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, and has worked in Latin America, Russia, and Europe in energy for Amoco and Enron, and in financial services for the Prudential Investment Corporation. She is certified in Diversity Equity & Inclusion by eCornell, and is an alum of Yale (double major: BA Economics, Russian/East European Studies) and Harvard (full-time MBA). As a mother, wife, and serial expat, she has first-hand experience with transitions, career-life balance, and multicultural challenges.
Game night is back on Saturday nights!!
Come prepared to laugh, make new friends, and most of all have fun!
We will be hosting every other Saturday (or so) at Hi-Wire RAD!
Time is 7:00PM-9:00ish
Now that its SUMMER (woohoo!!!) look for us when you first walk in. We are setup and playing outside. Even if a little rain, it’s mostly covered..
If the weather seems more on the sketchy side we can always move to the tables inside if need be.
Look for us there if you dont see us setup outside.
This is rain or shine—–weather is not a factor😎
We have a mix of games, but you can being your favorites too~~
This will be a public event so feel free to invite friends!
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Unearth your strategic prowess, outbuild the Pyramids, outshine Babylon, and prove that Rome wasn’t built in a day, but your victory can be. As you stake your claim on world wonder after world wonder, remember: It’s all fun and games until someone loses a civilization! So don your thinking caps, arm yourself with tactics, and may the best empire builder reign supreme in this thrilling duel of wits and whimsy!
In partnership with Asmodee Games, we’re offering each entrant a glittering token of appreciation – a free promo/discount from Asmodee Games just for playing! All participants will also receive a free game pass for the day.
But for those with an insatiable thirst for glory, grander rewards lie in wait. From the ancient ruins of victory, winners will rise with their hands heavy with awesome prizes. So don’t just sit there. Build an empire!
The game is afoot, the dice are waiting, and glory could be but a play away!
Asheville’s best ping-pong players join Asheville’s worst table-tennis players at Sovereign Kava every Thursday at 7 p.m. to battle for glory and a $50 bar tab. No charge.
Whether you learned to play in the basement as a kid, or in a prison as a young adult, or in a rehab facility as an older adult, this is the tournament for you.
Located just down the hill on the Asheville-side of Mission Hospital, we are convenient walking distance to medical help after you get your heart broken on our Butterfly table.
Bring your paddle or borrow one of ours. Open to all skill levels and clothing styles. Beginners welcome. Hell, we’re ALL rusty after not playing during the Pandemic so don’t let that stop you.
Our table-tennis table is open for play 7 days a week, noon to 11 p.m. unless there’s a music event.
Here’s a link to a video from our 2019 table tennis tourney:
https://youtu.be/w_1EFEzx9sA
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.
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Calling all adventurous teens! Join us for Dungeons & Dragons at Pack Memorial Library! All players aged 13-17 are eligible. This program is free, but you do need to register. Email Raj at [email protected] to sign up. |
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Asheville’s best ping-pong players join Asheville’s worst table-tennis players at Sovereign Kava every Thursday at 7 p.m. to battle for glory and a $50 bar tab. No charge.
Whether you learned to play in the basement as a kid, or in a prison as a young adult, or in a rehab facility as an older adult, this is the tournament for you.
Located just down the hill on the Asheville-side of Mission Hospital, we are convenient walking distance to medical help after you get your heart broken on our Butterfly table.
Bring your paddle or borrow one of ours. Open to all skill levels and clothing styles. Beginners welcome. Hell, we’re ALL rusty after not playing during the Pandemic so don’t let that stop you.
Our table-tennis table is open for play 7 days a week, noon to 11 p.m. unless there’s a music event.
Here’s a link to a video from our 2019 table tennis tourney:
https://youtu.be/w_1EFEzx9sA
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Asheville’s best ping-pong players join Asheville’s worst table-tennis players at Sovereign Kava every Thursday at 7 p.m. to battle for glory and a $50 bar tab. No charge.
Whether you learned to play in the basement as a kid, or in a prison as a young adult, or in a rehab facility as an older adult, this is the tournament for you.
Located just down the hill on the Asheville-side of Mission Hospital, we are convenient walking distance to medical help after you get your heart broken on our Butterfly table.
Bring your paddle or borrow one of ours. Open to all skill levels and clothing styles. Beginners welcome. Hell, we’re ALL rusty after not playing during the Pandemic so don’t let that stop you.
Our table-tennis table is open for play 7 days a week, noon to 11 p.m. unless there’s a music event.
Here’s a link to a video from our 2019 table tennis tourney:
https://youtu.be/w_1EFEzx9sA
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.
$8.00 for 3 games and shoes and 20% off on food.
Come socialize and get to know your group members. We will be enjoying our lives. “To enjoy is to be happy, To be happy is doing what makes you smile/laugh.” Come have fun. Please be on time so we all can have fun and enjoy our lives.
My EYLA Family, it about time to give back to our community. the temperature is changing, and nights are getting colder. If you have any old coats, sweaters, hoodies, and winter hats please bring them to this Wednesday’s Event. We will have time and date where some members may want to volunteer and hand out coats or any articles of clothing to homeless people downtown Asheville. Thank YOU!!
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Asheville’s best ping-pong players join Asheville’s worst table-tennis players at Sovereign Kava every Thursday at 7 p.m. to battle for glory and a $50 bar tab. No charge.
Whether you learned to play in the basement as a kid, or in a prison as a young adult, or in a rehab facility as an older adult, this is the tournament for you.
Located just down the hill on the Asheville-side of Mission Hospital, we are convenient walking distance to medical help after you get your heart broken on our Butterfly table.
Bring your paddle or borrow one of ours. Open to all skill levels and clothing styles. Beginners welcome. Hell, we’re ALL rusty after not playing during the Pandemic so don’t let that stop you.
Our table-tennis table is open for play 7 days a week, noon to 11 p.m. unless there’s a music event.
Here’s a link to a video from our 2019 table tennis tourney:
https://youtu.be/w_1EFEzx9sA
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.
Standup Comedy at plēb urban winery
Join us for a night filled with laughter and good vibes at plēb urban winery! Get ready to have great night of standup comedy by some of the best comedians in the region. This in-person event is on tap for Fri Sept 22 2023 at7p-9p! Featuring Moira Goree, Petey Smith McDowell, Jess Cooley & Jason Webb. Hosted by Morgan Marie.
Foodtruck will be available for the whole show!
What: Standup Comedy at plēb urban winery in the River Arts District
When: September 22, 7-9p
Where: Located at 289 Lyman Street, Asheville, NC 28801, plēb urban winery offers the perfect setting for an evening of comedy!
Tickets: $20
Get $4 off with promo code: WINECOMEDYONTAP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/710423163807?aff=oddtdtcreator
HOST Morgan Marie is an Asheville based comic capturing the playful and often painful parallels between adolescence and “almost-adulthood.” Vibrant yet vulnerable; her high-energy storytelling is influenced by her background as an improviser. She writes a monthly beloved humor column, “Best Medicine with Morgan Marie,” for the Mountain Xpress.
Peter Smith-McDowell has been traveling around the country telling jokes since 2009. Besides his standup comedy, Petey is Asheville native and known for his hysterical Asheville memes on Instagram : instagram.com/peteysmithmcdowell
Jess Cooley is a writer and stand up comic from Upstate South Carolina, where he learned how to walk, and talk, and eat food like a real boy. Currently based in Asheville, NC, his comedy involves personal subjects like Autism, religion, and the loss of his favorite sex toy during a home invasion. His unique and colorful perspective brings his stories to life, and his demons to the spotlight.
Moira Goree is from Asheville,Nc she’s a transgender woman who is darkly funny and authentic in her delivery. Her mix of storytelling and humor will mesmerize you while crying laughing,
Jason Webb is Co-Creator and Co-Host of Follow That! at The Comedy Store on Sunset.Festivals: Bridgetown Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, Laughing Skull Comedy Festival (Best of the Fest) !0,000 Laughs Comedy Festival (Best of the Fest), Orlando Indie Comedy Festival, Bird City Comedy Festival, Blue Whale Comedy Festival, Big Pine Comedy Festival, Orlando Indie Comedy Festival.
Yes, the Mud Run is back on! With the modulars now gone we have a huge open field to make this race bigger, better and muddier than ever!
Get your old(est) running shoes out and prepare to get seriously muddy! The Filthy Franklin Mud Run happens Sunday, Sept. 24th. Our course is guaranteed to steal at least a few shoes before the day is done!
The races will be a timed trial start and there will be crazy obstacles and lots of mud!! Teen and adult races are approximately 2 miles, children 10 and under run just under a mile. Of course, the army crawl and mud trench will be part of this again, as well as other various challenging obstacles!
The Mud Run raises funds for Bolts Athletics. It helps fund equipment, uniforms and facilities. It is planned and created by Community Council members and student-athletes. OH YEAHHH!
You must register by Sept. 8th to receive a free t-shirt. After the deadline, T-shirts can be purchased the day of the event for $20. Limited quantities will be available.
You can register and purchase tickets at: https://franklinschoolofinnovation.networkforgood.com/events/57309-7th-annual-filthy-franklin-mud-run
Join the event on our Facebook here – https://fb.me/e/2LRlwcEPl
We will have race day registration as well!
Kids Race at 2:30pm
Adult Race at 3:00pm
Teen Race at 3:30pm
The event is free to attend, but to race registration is $25 for Kids and $40 for Adults & Teens.
The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.
The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.
Asheville’s best ping-pong players join Asheville’s worst table-tennis players at Sovereign Kava every Thursday at 7 p.m. to battle for glory and a $50 bar tab. No charge.
Whether you learned to play in the basement as a kid, or in a prison as a young adult, or in a rehab facility as an older adult, this is the tournament for you.
Located just down the hill on the Asheville-side of Mission Hospital, we are convenient walking distance to medical help after you get your heart broken on our Butterfly table.
Bring your paddle or borrow one of ours. Open to all skill levels and clothing styles. Beginners welcome. Hell, we’re ALL rusty after not playing during the Pandemic so don’t let that stop you.
Our table-tennis table is open for play 7 days a week, noon to 11 p.m. unless there’s a music event.
Here’s a link to a video from our 2019 table tennis tourney:
https://youtu.be/w_1EFEzx9sA
Players of all skill levels gather at Shakedown Kava Lounge (Hendersonville’s kava
bar) every Tuesday for the kava bar’s weekly Table Tennis Tournament, Games to 11, best of 3, double elimination, paddles
included, winner receives eternal glory and a $25 bar tab, Entry is free.
9.28.23 The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday September 28, 2023. 8p-10p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! Free snacks while availability lasts!
Feature comic Julia Macias! An antenna for the unwell, Julia shares all the strange characters who filter through her life. She exploded into the Asheville comedy scene in late 2021 and has touring all over the Southeast. Her view video special will be released later this year.
Guest host for this show is the fantastically loved Ryan Cox! Slice is super happy to have him running the show. Ryan is a comedian’s comedian. He is also a comedian for people who aren’t comedians. Ryan has been performing stand-up around the Southeast since 2016, with jokes ranging from crafted one-liners to twisted parenting tales to the ghost of Kmart.
We feature the area’s best comics, plus a comedy open mic. Open mic comics signup at door get 3-5m. [Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table].
For more info and other standup comedy shows go to sliceoflifecomedy.com or contact Michele at [email protected]
